- Emily Ratajkowski—also known as Emrata—shared an adorable childhood photo on Instagram.
- Ratajkowski captioned the photo, "A mood."
- Ashley Graham commented on the cute throwback pic, writing, "Aw lil Em," while Lena Dunham posted, "So cute."
Think, for a moment, about the photographic outcomes of your middle school picture days. Perhaps you tried a bold new hairstyle, and found out when the photos came back that it was an admirable but ultimately misguided experiment. Perhaps the camera flash reflected off your braces, rendering your mouth a washed out, glowing oval. Maybe you made a sincere effort to cover your acne with the first concealer you could lay your hands on, and ended up with a face full of poorly blended splotches several shades off your actual skin tone.
Unsurprisingly, that was not the case for Emily Ratajkowski! The supermodel shared a throwback snap from a childhood photoshoot on Instagram, and looked like, well, a baby supermodel. Behold:
While Emrata didn't specify when the photo was taken, it may well be a professional headshot taken to advance her childhood acting aspirations—she signed with Ford Models at 14, "as a way to get into acting," the New York Times reports. According to the newspaper, Ratajkowski "would model once or twice a month while getting small television roles, including a stint on 'iCarly.'"
It was typecasting that turned Emrata off acting: "I was so tired of auditioning for the bitchy girl in high school," she told the newspaper. Thus, after leaving UCLA to model full time, a future supermodel was born. Listen: Just try not to compare your middle school photos too harshly to Ratajkowski's. You really did your best with that side ponytail, and I'm proud of you for trying.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
